The number of students at chareidi schools in Jerusalem has risen 11 percent over the past five years, according to findings by the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Research.
Jerusalem Deputy Mayor and Chareidi Education Commissioner Rabbi Yitzchok Pindrus said he was pleased by the figures, but noted the serious discrimination against the chareidi education system, which is especially apparent in the facilities used to house various educational institutions.
According to the study 225,000 students are enrolled in Jerusalem this year. Of the 150,100 students at Jewish schools 59,900 (40 percent) study at government and government-religious schools and 90,200 (60 percent) study at chareidi institutions.
Of the 75,000 Arab school children 41,000 study at municipal schools, 13,000 at unofficial but recognized schools and 21,000 at private schools.
During the past five years (5764-5769) the number of students enrolled in Jerusalem's government and government-religious schools has decreased by 6 percent, while enrollment at chareidi schools has increased by 11 percent.
"We make sure not to count [Jews], but the chareidi sector, particularly the chareidi education system, is growing in Jerusalem and elsewhere in Eretz Yisroel from day to day and from year to year," Rabbi Pindrus told Yated Ne'eman. "This highlights the great responsibility to ensure these children enjoy at least minimal physical standards to match the quality of chareidi education and to maintain the excellent standards of studies in Jerusalem's chareidi education system, which has been operating for some 200 years, many years before the founding of the State."
